Roberta De Bei

Dr Roberta De Bei

School of Agriculture, Food and Wine

College of Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

I moved to Adelaide after completing my PhD in viticulture at the University of Padova, in Italy. In over a decade at the University of Adelaide I have worked on various projects including the physiology of water stress, near infrared applications, carbohydrate metabolism, vine balance and digital/precision technologies for information-driven vineyard management. I am a co-inventor of VitiCanopy, an image-based App to measure grapevine canopy size and assess vineyard variability in real time. I am currently working on improving and expanding digital techniques into innovative tools for growers and viticulture practitioners which will assist in better managing vineyards across Australia.In 2016 I was awarded the Australian Women in Wine award for Researcher of the Year. I am also a superstar of STEM for the 2019-20 program. This is an initiative of Science and Technology Australia aimed to increase the public visibility of women in STEM. https://scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/profile/dr-roberta-de-bei/

I moved to Adelaide after completing my PhD in viticulture at the University of Padova, in Italy. In over a decade at the University of Adelaide I have worked on various projects including the physiology of water stress, near infrared applications, carbohydrate metabolism, vine balance and digital/precision technologies for information-driven vineyard management. I am a co-inventor of VitiCanopy, an image-based App to measure grapevine canopy size and assess vineyard variability in real time. I am currently working on improving and expanding digital techniques into innovative tools for growers and viticulture practitioners which will assist in better managing vineyards across Australia.

In 2016 I was awarded the Australian Women in Wine award for Researcher of the Year. I am also a superstar of STEM for the 2019-20 program. This is an initiative of Science and Technology Australia aimed to increase the public visibility of women in STEM.

 https://scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/profile/dr-roberta-de-bei/

Date Position Institution name
2017 - ongoing Research Fellow The University of Adelaide
2008 - 2016 Post doctoral fellow The university of Adelaide
2007 - 2008 Post doctoral fellow Council for research and experimentation in Viticulture

Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
2016 Award Australian Women in Wine Awards. Researcher of the year 2016 - - -

Language Competency
Italian Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
Spanish; Castilian Can read and understand spoken

Date Institution name Country Title
2005 - 2007 The University of Padova Italy Doctor of Philosophy in Viticulture, Oenology and Marketing of Wineries
The University of Padua Italy Masters degree in Agricultural Science and Technologies
The University of Padova Italy Bachelor of Agricultural Science

Year Citation
2024 Scalisi, A., O'Connell, M. G., Stefanelli, D., Zhou, S., Pitt, T., Graetz, D., . . . Goodwin, I. (2024). Narrow orchard systems for pome and stone fruit—a review. Scientia Horticulturae, 338, 20 pages.
DOI Scopus7 WoS7
2024 De Bei, R., Thorp, G., Breen, K., Stanley, J., & Collins, C. (2024). Assessing vineyard and orchard variability through analysis of canopy images. Acta Horticulturae, (1395), 119-124.
DOI
2023 O’brien, P., De Bei, R., & Collins, C. (2023). Research Note: Assessing the relationship between cordon strangulation, dieback, and fungal trunk disease symptom expression in grapevine. Oeno One, 57(1), 151-160.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4
2023 O'Brien, P., De Bei, R., & Collins, C. (2023). Micro-CT constitutes a valuable tool in assessing the impact of cordon constriction on the vascular morphology of grapevines. OENO One, 57(1), 333-343.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2
2023 Kesser, M. M., Cavagnaro, T. R., De Bei, R., & Collins, C. (2023). Vineyard floor management intensity impacts soil health indicators and plant diversity across South Australian viticultural landscapes. Oeno One, 57(2), 139-158.
DOI Scopus8 WoS7
2023 Kesser, M. M., Joubert, W., Cavagnaro, T. R., De Bei, R., & Collins, C. (2023). Long-term under-vine coverage by spontaneous vegetation changed plant community and soil dynamics without impacting yield at two South Australian vineyards. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 356, 1-17.
DOI Scopus9 WoS9
2023 O'Brien, P., De Bei, R., & Collins, C. (2023). Is vigour-based length adjustment during permanent cordon establish- ment a beneficial practice?. Vitis - Journal of Grapevine Research, 62(3), 114-124.
DOI
2023 O’Brien, P., De Bei, R., & Collins, C. (2023). Training Technique May Have an Effect on Permanent Cordon Longevity. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, 74(2), 15 pages.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2022 De Bei, R., Wang, X., Papagiannis, L., & Collins, C. (2022). Assessment of bunch thinning as a management technique for Semillon and Shiraz in a hot Australian climate. Oeno One, 56(1), 161-174.
DOI Scopus6 WoS6
2021 Zhou, J., Cavagnaro, T. R., De Bei, R., Nelson, T. M., Stephen, J. R., Metcalfe, A., . . . Rodriguez Lopez, C. M. (2021). Wine terroir and the soil bacteria: an amplicon sequencing-based assessment of the Barossa Valley and its sub-regions. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, 597944-1-597944-15.
DOI Scopus21 WoS23 Europe PMC13
2021 Ouyang, J., De Bei, R., & Collins, C. (2021). Assessment of canopy size using UAV-based point cloud analysis to detect the severity and spatial distribution of canopy decline. OENO ONE, 55(1), 253-266.
DOI Scopus11 WoS10
2021 O'Brien, P., Collins, C., & De Bei, R. (2021). Leaf removal applied to a sprawling canopy to regulate fruit ripening in cabernet sauvignon. Plants, 10(5), 1-13.
DOI Scopus11 WoS10 Europe PMC4
2021 O’Brien, P., De Bei, R., Sosnowski, M., & Collins, C. (2021). A Review of Factors to Consider for Permanent Cordon Establishment and Maintenance. Agronomy, 11(9), 1811.
DOI Scopus11 WoS12
2020 Ouyang, J., De Bei, R., Fuentes, S., & Collins, C. (2020). UAV and ground-based imagery analysis detects canopy structure changes after canopy management applications. OENO One, 54(4), 1093-1103.
DOI Scopus13 WoS13
2020 Wang, X., Lesefko, S., de Bei, R., Fuentes, S., & Collins, C. (2020). Effects of canopy management practices on grapevine bud fruitfulness. OENO One, 54(2), 313-325.
DOI Scopus27 WoS24
2020 Summerson, V., Viejo, C. G., Szeto, C., Wilkinson, K. L., Torrico, D. D., Pang, A., . . . Fuentes, S. (2020). Classification of smoke contaminated cabernet sauvignon berries and leaves based on chemical fingerprinting and machine learning algorithms. Sensors (Switzerland), 20(18), 1-24.
DOI Scopus12 WoS12 Europe PMC4
2020 De Bei, R., Wang, X., Papagiannis, L., Fuentes, S., Gilliham, M., Tyerman, S., & Collins, C. (2020). Shoot thinning of Semillon in a hot climate did not improve yield and berry and wine quality. OENO One, 54(3), 469-484.
DOI Scopus8 WoS4
2020 Zhou, J., Cavagnaro, T., De Bei, R., Nelson, T., Stephen, J., Metcalfe, A., . . . Rodríguez López, C. (2020). Wine terroir and the soil microbiome: an amplicon sequencing–based assessment of the Barossa Valley and its sub-regions.
DOI
2020 Cogato, A., Pezzuolo, A., Sørensen, C. G., De Bei, R., Sozzi, M., & Marinello, F. (2020). A GIS-based multicriteria index to evaluate the mechanisability potential of Italian vineyard area. Land, 9(11), 1-17.
DOI Scopus22 WoS22
2019 Fuentes, S., Tongson, E. J., De Bei, R., Viejo, C. G., Ristic, R., Tyerman, S., & Wilkinson, K. (2019). Non-invasive tools to detect smoke contamination in grapevine canopies, berries and wine: a remote sensing and machine learning modeling approach. Sensors, 19(15), 3335-1-3335-16.
DOI Scopus32 WoS25 Europe PMC9
2019 Wang, X., De Bei, R., Fuentes, S., & Collins, C. (2019). Influence of canopy management practices on canopy architecture and reproductive performance of Semillon and Shiraz grapevines in a hot climate. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, 70(4), 360-372.
DOI Scopus27 WoS25
2019 De Bei, R., Wang, X., Papagiannis, L., Cocco, M., O'Brien, P., Zito, M., . . . Collins, C. (2019). Postveraison Leaf Removal Does Not Consistently Delay Ripening in Semillon and Shiraz in a Hot Australian Climate. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ENOLOGY AND VITICULTURE, 70(4), 398-410.
DOI Scopus14 WoS13
2019 Belfiore, N., Vinti, R., Lovat, L., Chitarra, W., Tomasi, D., de Bei, R., . . . Gaiotti, F. (2019). Infrared thermography to estimate vine water status: optimizing canopy measurements and thermal indices for the varieties Merlot and Moscato in northern Italy. Agronomy, 9(12), 821-1-821-20.
DOI Scopus27 WoS23
2018 Grigg, D., Methven, D., De Bei, R., Rodriguez Lopez, C., Dry, P., & Collins, C. (2018). Vine age effects on vine performance of Shiraz in the Barossa Valley, Australia. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, 24(1), 75-87.
DOI Scopus27 WoS23
2017 Xie, H., Konate, M., Sai, N., Gebremicael Tesfamicael, K., Cavagnaro, T., Gilliham, M., . . . Rodriguez Lopez, C. M. (2017). Environmental Conditions And Agronomic Practices Induce Consistent Global Changes In DNA Methylation Patterns In Grapevine (Vitis vinifera cv Shiraz). BioRxiv.
DOI Europe PMC1
2017 Xie, H., Konate, M., Sai, N., Tesfamicael, K., Cavagnaro, T., Gilliham, M., . . . Lopez, C. (2017). Global DNA methylation patterns can play a role in defining terroir in grapevine (Vitis vinifera cv. Shiraz). Frontiers in Plant Science, 8, 1860-1-1860-16.
DOI Scopus54 WoS48 Europe PMC38
2017 De Bei, R., Fuentes, S., Sullivan, W., Edwards, E., Tyerman, S., & Cozzolino, D. (2017). Rapid measurement of total non-structural carbohydrate concentration in grapevine trunk and leaf tissues using near infrared spectroscopy. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 136, 176-183.
DOI Scopus26 WoS27 Europe PMC8
2016 Ristic, R., Fudge, A., Pinchbeck, K., De Bei, R., Fuentes, S., Hayasaka, Y., . . . Wilkinson, K. (2016). Impact of grapevine exposure to smoke on vine physiology and the composition and sensory properties of wine. Theoretical and Experimental Plant Physiology, 28(1), 67-83.
DOI Scopus50 WoS48
2016 De Bei, R., Fuentes, S., Gilliham, M., Tyerman, S., Edwards, E., Bianchini, N., . . . Collins, C. (2016). Viticanopy: A free computer app to estimate canopy vigor and porosity for grapevine. Sensors (Switzerland), 16(4), 17 pages.
DOI Scopus105 WoS87 Europe PMC29
2014 Fuentes, S., De Bei, R., Collins, M., Escalona, J., Medrano, H., & Tyerman, S. (2014). Night-time responses to water supply in grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) under deficit irrigation and partial root-zone drying. Agricultural Water Management, 138, 1-9.
DOI Scopus24 WoS23
2014 Fuentes, S., Poblete-Echeverría, C., Ortega-Farias, S., Tyerman, S., & de Bei, R. (2014). Automated estimation of leaf area index from grapevine canopies using cover photography, video and computational analysis methods. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, 20(3), 465-473.
DOI Scopus57 WoS51
2012 Fuentes, S., De Bei, R., Pech, J., & Tyerman, S. (2012). Computational water stress indices obtained from thermal image analysis of grapevine canopies. Irrigation Science, 30(6), 523-536.
DOI Scopus118 WoS104
2011 De Bei, R., Cozzolino, D., Sullivan, W., Cynkar, W., Fuentes, S., Dambergs, R., . . . Tyerman, S. (2011). Non-destructive measurement of grapevine water potential using near infrared spectroscopy. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, 17(1), 62-71.
DOI Scopus120 WoS99
2007 De Bei, R., Sivilotti, P., Pascarella, G., Tomasi, D., & Ponchia, G. (2007). Effetto della disposizione della chioma sul comportamento vegeto-produttivo dei vitigni Cabernet sauvignon e Merlot (primi risultati). Italus Hortus, 14(3), 433-437.
2007 Belvini, P., Dalla Costa, L., De Bei, R., Genovese, D., & Ponchia, G. (2007). Gestione Della Chioma Della Vite: influenza della cimatura dei germogli sui parametri vegeto-produttivi. (Grapevine canopy management: influence of shoot trimming on the performance of the cultivars Pinot grigio and Chardonnay).. VigneVini, 11, 155-161.
2006 De Bei, R., Bonamano, A., & Ponchia, G. (2006). Influenza della disponibilità idrica sull’accrescimento delle bacche e sulla composizione del mosto dei vitigni Garganega e Chardonnay. Rivista Italiana di Agrometeorologia, Supp(1), 90-91.
2005 Bonamano, A., De Bei, R., & Borin, M. (2005). La fenologia per la viticoltura: esempio applicativo nelle varietà Chardonnay e Garganega nei Colli Berici della Regione Veneto nel 2005. Rivista Italiana di Agrometeorologia, Supp(1), 85-86.

Year Citation
2024 Thorp, G., Smith, A., Coates, M., & De Bei, R. (2024). Water use efficiency in high density planting trials with almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb). In Acta Horticulturae Vol. 1 (pp. 145-152). International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS).
DOI
2022 Collins, C., Ritchie, M., James, A., O'Brien, P., Ma, S., De Bei, R., & Clarke, A. (2022). Grapevine recovery after fire and a first look at rapid damage assessment with satellite imagery. In Proceedings of the 14th International Terroir Congress and 2nd ClimWine Symposium (terclim, 2022) as published in OENO One Vol. 56 (pp. 265-278). Online: International Viticulture and Enology Society.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2018 De Bei, R., Fuentes, S., Wirthensohn, M. G., Cozzolino, D., & Tyerman, S. D. (2018). Feasibility study on the use of Near Infrared spectroscopy to measure water status of almond trees. In Acta Horticulturae Vol. 1219 (pp. 79-84). online: Acta Horticulture.
DOI Scopus2

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2019 - 2023 Co-Supervisor Developing and Assessing Different Cordon Establishment Techniques for Long-Term Vineyard Management Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Patrick Vaughan O'Brien
2019 - 2023 Co-Supervisor Optimising Vineyard Floor Management Across Australian Viticultural Landscapes to Enhance Functional Plant Diversity and Soil Health Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Merek Marie Kesser
2017 - 2021 Co-Supervisor The Applications of UAV and Ground Digital Imagery Analysis for Monitoring Grapevine Canopy in Vineyard Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Jingyun Ouyang
2016 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Influence of canopy management on grapevine reproductive performance Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Dr Xiaoyi Wang
2016 - 2017 Co-Supervisor An Investigation into the Effect of Grapevine Age on Vine Performance, Grape and Wine Composition, Sensory Evaluation and Epigenetic Characterisation Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Dylan Grigg

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